Irish Potato Cakes

A recipe for Irish Potato Cakes! Leftover mashed potatoes are combined with flour and butter, then pan-fried until browned on each side.

These Irish Potato Cakes and Schupfnudeln (German Potato Noodles) are my absolute favorite ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes! They are also a wonderful accompaniment to breakfast and come together with only a few ingredients.

I am sharing a basic recipe with simply potatoes, egg (optional), butter, salt, pepper, and flour, but there is plenty of room for variations. Mixing in chives or green onions would be delicious. I have also seen a few recipes include shredded cheese.

A Few Tips

Starchy potatoes are best for making the Irish Potato Cakes. I used Russet for this recipe since it is readily available in the area.

If using leftover mashed potatoes that have been in the refrigerator (they can be made up to a couple of days in advance), place at room temperature for about 30 minutes before combining with the remaining ingredients.

The amount of flour I have listed is mostly a guideline and what usually works for me (1/2 cup, 65 grams). The exact amount may vary slightly due to the moisture content of the potatoes and even the weather. Add just enough flour to easy pat the dough into a sheet and keep it from sticking to your hands.

Mix the dough just until combined and smooth. Over-mixing will cause the potato cakes to lose their light texture.

I included an egg in this recipe to help bind together the ingredients, but many recipes I came across only use potatoes, butter, and seasonings. If omitting, adjust the flour as needed.

I patted the dough into a sheet about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick on a floured surface, then cut out individual rounds. This is a great way to create uniform cakes. The dough can also be divided, formed into thin discs and cut into quarters (four triangles) to make Irish Potato Farls.

Adjust the heat between medium and low as needed. Give the edges time to brown, but not too quickly before the middle gets a chance to heat through.

Some recipes cook the Irish Potato Cakes in a dry pan (with no greasing), while others add a little butter or even leftover grease from preparing bacon.

Looking for more Irish recipes?

Try my:

• Irish Porridge with Berry Compote
• Dublin Coddle
• Irish Soda Farls

Irish Potato Cakes Recipe

Adapted from Irish American Mom

Print Pin

5 from 5 votes

Irish Potato Cakes

A recipe for Irish Potato Cakes! Leftover mashed potatoes are combined with flour and butter, then pan-fried until browned on each side.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Irish

Keyword breakfast, Ireland, irish, potato

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 10 Potato Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups (650 grams) mashed potatoes starchy like Russet
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter melted, plus more for greasing the pan if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the egg, butter, salt, and pepper.
• Slowly add just enough flour to create a dough the holds together and can be handled without falling apart.
• Place the dough on a floured surface and gently press down to form a sheet about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick. Use a 2 1/2-3 inch (6-8 centimeter) circular cutter to cut out rounds of potato cakes.
• Gently press the remaining dough back together to get a few more potato cakes.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat. Grease with a little butter if desired.
• Once hot, add the formed potato cakes in batches, taking care not to overcrowd.
• Adjust the heat between medium and low as needed and cook until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook other side until golden and the potato cakes are heated through. Repeat with remaining potato cakes.
• Serve the potato cakes immediately.